Tail-skid cushion



March 4, 1924; J. G. BERGER TAIL SKID CUSHION Filed April 10. 1922Patented Mar. 4, 15924.

UNHTED STATES Meant PATENT cranes- .rosnrn e. means, or DAYTON, omo.

TAIL-SKID CUSHION.

Application filed April 10, 1922. Serial No. 551,297.

To all whom itmay concern:

craft.

The object of my invention is to provide a tail-skid'cushioning meanswhich'will be advantageous over the conventional type in that it will becapable of distributing and dissipating sudden impacts by a combinationof flexible compression elements operating in horizontal and verticalplanes.

To this end it is proposed to provide a rudder post with compressionflexible elements and a pivoted actuating rod having one part extendingvertically and the other part at an angle thereto and connected to thetail skid by means of compression flexible elements, the tail skid beingpivotally connected to an angular extension of the rudder post.

By this construction it will be possible to distribute any impact whichmay be applied to the tail skid, throughout the triangular support whichis of such a construction as to eliminate any tendency to bind or breakunder a reasonable applied weight or im act.

With the oregoing and other objects in view which shall appear as thedescription proceeds the invention consist in the novel construction,and combination of parts hereinafter illustrated, described and claimed.

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the rudder post and tail skid andthe shock absorbing means applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a cross section of the rudder post taken along line AA ofFigure 1,

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 13 represents a hollowcylindrical rudder post to receive a solid upright member- 19. A disc 16is placed interiorly of the post 13 and welded thereto and is providedwith holes to allow guide rods 14 and plunger rod 15 to extendtherethrough. A compression coil spring 17 is placed-interme diate ofthe disc 16 and the upper end of the post 19 and encircling tl1e rod 15.A compression coil spring 18 is placed Intermediate of the disc 16 andthe upper end of the post 19 and encircling the rods 14.

A disc 25 is provided with holes to receive rods 14 and 15 and is weldedto the rods 14 near their upper extremities. A disc 24 encircles the rod15 near the upper extremity thereof and is Welded thereto. A compressioncoil sprin 23 encircles rod 15 and i placed interme iate of and bearingagainst discs 24 and 25.

The post 13 is provided with a slot 27 of sufficient size to allow freemovement of the rod 10 about its pivotal point of con nection to thecorrespondin rod 13. The rod 10 passes through the taii skid 5 and has adisc 8 welded thereon and a disc 6 adjacent the tail skid 5, acompression coil spring 7 being arranged intermediate therebetween.

On the other side of the tail skid 5 is a disc 4 adjacentthereto and adisc 1 near the outer extremity of the rod 10. A compression coil spring2 is arranged around a the rod 10 and intermediate of the discs 1 and 4.A compression coil spring 3 is arranged around guide rods 11 andintermediate of the discs 1 and 4. Asuitable retaining member 9 is fixedto the end of the rod 10 for retaining the disc 1 against the action ofthe springs 2 and 3. The tail skid 5 is pivotally connected at 22 to theright angle extension 21 of the post 19. The post 19 is hollowed out at26 to receive the rod 15 therein in sliding relation.

Thus u on the receipt of an impact upon the tail skid 5, the latter willrotate about its pivot 22 and compres the coil springs 2 and 3 whichrebound, against the spring 7, this operation continuing alternatively.

A similar operation is carried on interiorly of the rudder post, thesprings 17 and 18 alternatively compressing and being compressed by thespring 23.

I claim: a 1. In combination with a tail skid for aircraft, a rudderpost, said tail skid being disposed at an angle to said rudder post andpivotally connected to an extension thereof, shock absorbing meansbetween the rudder post and said extension and also between said rudderpostand said tail skid.

2. In combination with a tail skid for aircraft, a rudder post providedwith vertically opposed compressible shock absorbing members, said tailskid being angularly disposed with relation tosaid rudder post andprovided on either side thereof with laterally extending compressibleshock absorbing members, said lateral and vertical shock absorbers beingconnected by means of a pivoted rod, and said tail skid being pivot-'ally connected to an extension on the lower portion of said rudder post.

3. A triangulated shock absorber for the tail skid of an aircraft,comprising a rudder post, flexible compressible elements disposed withinsaid rudder post and between same and on either side of said tail skid,said tail skid being angularly disposed to said rudder post andpivotally connected to a lower angle extension of said rudder post.

4. In combination With a tail skid for aircraft, a hollow rudder post, asupporting bar therefor and adapted to slide therein, said supportingbar having a counterbored portion to receive a vertical sliding rod, adisc mounted-interiorly of said rudder-post to receive said verticalsliding rod and a plurality of vertical guide rods, an inner and outercompression coil spring within said rudder post and bearing against saiddisc and the upper end of said supporting bar, additional upper andlower discs on said guide rods and said sliding rod and guide rodsrespectively provided with a coming rod being pivotally connected to alateral 1 extending rod passing through said tail skid, discs on eitherside of said tail skid, to receive a plurality of compression coilsprings, springs disposed concentrically around said lateral rod andretained by means of discs mounted on, said lateral rod.

5. A rudder post, a right angular support therefor, a-tail skidpivotally connected to the laterally extending component part thereof,said rudder post being adapted to encircle and slide vertically on saidsupport, a vertical rod mounted in said rudder post and engaging a'counterbored portion in said support, a plurality of vertically opposedcompression coil springs attached to said rod and adapted to operateagainst the rebound action of one another upon the receipt of an impact,a laterally extending rod pivoted to said vertical rod and passingthrough said, tail skid, compression coil springs attached thereto anddisposed and bearing against either side of said tail skid, said tailskid being pivotally connected to said rudder' post supporting member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature;

JOSEPH Gr. BER-GER.

